THE MAN CAVE

12 Body Hair Removal Myths That a Lot Of People Believe

If you like the feeling of your skin being silky smooth, then you probably don’t like it being covered in a fine (or coarse) layer of body hair. There are plenty of things that you can do to get rid of that body hair, and the more technical term for doing so is depilation. In this short guide, we’re going to look at some depilation myths.

While some of these myths may be silly, other ones can end up misguiding you, and you might go into a process not knowing what to expect. We’re here to give you the cold, hard facts so that you can choose the best way to remove your body hair safely, quickly, and painlessly.

1 - Your Hair Grows Back Faster and Thicker After You Shave It

This is the most common myth about hair removal, and it’s been around for quite some time, as I’m sure many of us can remember our grandmothers or parents telling us something similar. The logic is that when you shave your hair, it will never be as soft or as fine as the first strands of body hair you ever grew.

While it’s true that the texture and feel of your body hair changes after you shave it, that’s because of the tips of the hair follicles instead of the texture itself. When a razor blade cuts off body hair, it leaves the tip cut at an angle, which makes it feel sharper and coarser when you run your fingers over it.

Even though this gives your body hair a different texture, you can eventually get it feeling softer after shaving by using hair balms and oils that will lessen the perceived roughness.

2 - You Can Get Professional-Grade Results at Home

Whenever you pick up a waxing kit at your nearest pharmacy, and they promise results that are indistinguishable from the professionals, then you should be wary. While you can get decent results with a home waxing kit (and a lot of people won't be able to see the difference), professional appointments are on a different level.

The first thing that you have to keep in mind is that professional waxers have likely been doing their job for a long time. The simple fact that they have more experience means that waxers will be able to get the job done quicker, and they’ll know how to minimize the pain of the waxing process.

You’ll also have to consider that you’ll often be waxing yourself at home, which means that you’ll have far less reach than if someone else was waxing your body hair, making things more challenging.

Unless you have products made for the job like ours, you are really asking a lot out of your local pharmacy.

3 - More Razor Blades Will Increase the Likelihood of Cuts

Another common myth about body hair removal is that using a razor with additional blades will make you more likely to cut yourself, and this couldn't be farther from the truth. The reason that we've started using razors with more blades is that they actually decrease the likelihood of nicks and cuts.

By distributing the pressure over five blades instead of one or two, multi-blade razors help ensure that any of the blades are likely to break your skin. Even if you don't often cut yourself while shaving, a multi-blade razor will be more comfortable, because it will glide over your skin with ease.

Of course, high-quality single-blade razors are still effective, but they require a more practiced technique and a steadier hand to reduce the likelihood of hurting yourself. In the end, it's important to use a razor that you're comfortable with.

4 - Laser Hair Removal Will Work on all Hair Types

There is a widespread misconception in the hair removal industry that laser hair removal will work just as well on everybody, but that's sadly not the case. Laser hair removal works by targeting the pigment in your hair follicles, which is the naturally-occurring substance that makes our hair darker.

If you have fair hair, laser hair removal may not be an option for you, as the treatment simply won’t do a thorough enough job of getting rid of your body hair. However, don’t confuse this with another myth that’s out there, which states that dark-skinned individuals can’t get laser hair removal.

While early prototypes of laser hair removal machines had issues targeting hair on skin with melanin (the pigment that makes it dark), there has been sufficient progress in the field since then. Laser hair removal may have issues working with different hair colors, but it will work regardless of your skin color.

5 - Laser Hair Removal is Permanent

Another myth that we hear all too frequently about laser hair removal is that it’s supposed to remove your body hair permanently, and this is because of people confusing it with electrolysis. Electrolysis is the only FDA-approved process for permanent hair removal, but it’s quite different from laser hair removal.

People probably caught on to the notion that laser hair removal is permanent because it slows down the rate of growth for your body hairs. While repeated use of laser hair removal can slow the rate of growth even further, you’ll never be able to permanently stop the growth with this process alone.

However, if you don’t mind depilating infrequently, then laser hair removal will be the next best thing to permanent hair removal, and it will still give you the option to grow it out again. If you change your mind after an electrolysis treatment, then you’re simply out of luck.

6 - Laser Hair Removal is Painless

Even though laser hair removal is a futuristic and impressive way to remove your hair, it isn’t perfect, and it still has its own set of disadvantages. Anyone who tries to convince you that laser hair removal is perfectly painless is probably trying to sell you something.

The truth is that you'll never find a laser hair removal process that eliminates the slight stinging pain that you feel. Since you're zapping away hair follicles at the roots, it makes sense that you'll feel a little bit of discomfort, so this may not be the method for you if you're looking to avoid pain.

That being said, it is still possible to minimize the discomfort that you feel while you're going through a laser hair removal process, and more experienced technicians will help you through it. Be sure to go to a professional service that has good reviews and experienced staff.

7 - There Are Painless Waxing Techniques

Moving on to another myth about the painlessness of certain hair removal processes, we’re going to discuss waxing. Some people will swear by their “painless” waxing techniques, but the vast majority of them are being disingenuous when they describe waxing as such.

Even if you've never waxed your body hair before, the simple idea of applying wax to your body and then ripping your hair off sounds painful. While it's true that waxing doesn't hurt as much as you would expect if you've never tried it, there's no way to eliminate the pain in the process.

Much like with laser hair removal, you’ll want to go to a professional who is well-trained in waxing, which will ensure that they use all the tricks in the book to reduce the pain that you feel. However, keep in mind that waxing is not for the faint of heart.

8 - Prevent Bumps by Using Antiperspirant After Shaving

So you just got done shaving using The Plow, but you want to avoid any bumps from popping up afterward. A lot of our readers ask us if it's a good idea for them to put antiperspirant on the area that they just shaved, the logic being that the antiperspirant will "clog" the bump and prevent it.

The first issue with this is that it simply doesn't work. Razor bumps will pop up regardless of whether you apply antiperspirant on the area that you shaved. There's also the issue that antiperspirant wasn't meant to be used on areas other than your underarms unless it was specifically designed for that.

Finally, you'll likely just be wasting your antiperspirant and making little to no noticeable difference. The best way to reduce the likelihood of bumps when shaving is to use plenty of shaving cream to get the smoothest possible shave.

9 - There is a “Best” Way to Remove Body Hair

This is another myth that’s based on questions we get from a lot of our readers. Many of them ask us about the “best”body hair removal method around. From questions concerning The Lawn Mower 2.0 to laser hair removal, all the way to electrolysis, it seems like everyone is looking for the “best” method.

What many people fail to realize is that there is no superior way to remove body hair for everyone. You have to keep in mind that everyone has different hair types, and people also have different pain thresholds, which obviously means that everyone won’t like the same methods.

While some methods are less painful, they will often sacrifice efficiency or effectiveness, so you'll have to compromise based on what you prefer. You'll also have to account for price, as everyone has a varying budget when it comes to removing their body hair.

10 - Hair Removal Procedures are Expensive

A lot of people think that getting your body hair removed professionally is an expensive process, but it doesn’t have to be. Laser hair removal is no longer a brand-new innovation, and waxing parlors are also more affordable than first-timers tend to think.

Of course, the price of hair removal will depend on where you are and the competitiveness of the businesses in your area. If there’s only one place to go to get your body hair removed professionally, then they will likely have higher rates than a business that needs to remain competitive.

Most of the time, you should be able to find a laser hair removal treatment for around 200 dollars, which is still less than many people tend to pay. Keep in mind that your bill will depend on how much body hair you need removed and where you want it gone from.

11 - If You Start Waxing at a Young Age, You’ll Have Less Hair

A common myth about waxing body hair is that it will gradually reduce the amount of hair you have over the course of your life. You can rest easy knowing that waxing your hair frequently from a young age will notmake you incapable of growing body hair, but it will slow down the rate of growth.

Much like laser hair removal, waxing lengthens the time you have to wait for your hair to grow back. This means that you’ll have to put less effort into keeping your body hair short, saving you money on depilation creams, further waxing treatments, or any other hair removal methods.

Keep in mind that your hair growth rate will be reduced by waxing, but it will not be anywhere near as noticeable as the slowing after you get your hair removed by laser. If you're looking to cut down your body hair's growth rate, we would still recommend laser removal over waxing.

12 - Curly Hair Causes Ingrown Hairs

Having curly hair on your head can be a maintenance nightmare, and you’ll probably have to put more work into making it look good, but it’s usually worth the extra work. A lot of people also think that having curly hair makes you more susceptible to ingrown body hair.

The logic behind this is that ingrown hairs curl in on themselves, so curly hair should make it more likely. Ingrown hairs have nothing to do with the type of hair you have, as everyone gets them. An ingrown hair occurs when the tip of your hair grows into the skin, and they are more likely after shaving.